SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – It was the biggest shot of his young PBA career and Scottie Thompson believes someone up there helped make it possible.
“After ng tira ko iniisip ko para sa lola ko talaga yun. Feeling ko ginabayan niya ako sa tira na yun,” the fifth-year Barangay Ginebra guard said.
Divine intervention or not, Thompson’s big corner three with 0.6 seconds left carried Barangay Ginebra past hard-fighting Meralco, 83-80, to arrange a PBA Philippine Cup Finals showdown against TnT Tropang Giga.
Thompson, 27, admitted becoming emotional when it was over, unmindful of the celebration that followed at center court as the Kings returned to all-Filipino title series three years since losing to dethroned five-time champion San Miguel Beer.
“Sobrang emotional ako (kasi) pinag-pray ko ito na makapag-finals kami para sa kanya,” said the guard out of Perpetual.
Scottie’s grandmother passed away a month ago or three weeks since the Kings entered the PBA bubble.
She should be happy up there as her grandson finished with an all-around game of 20 points, 12 rebounds, and seven assists, helping the Kings win their sudden-death death against the Bolts to wrap up the best-of-five semis, 3-2.
Thompson said the team will celebrate the victory for the moment, but will have to set it aside first thing on Saturday morning as the Kings immediately buckle down to work in time for the series opener of the Finals on Sunday.
“Hindi pa tapos yung trabaho namin dito. So sana magtuluy-tuloy hanggang mag-champion kami,” he said.
Grandmama will surely be watching the title series as well.
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